Latching device for cabinets



Aug. 26, 1969 J. FAY

LATCHING DEVICE FOR CABINETS Filed Feb. 12, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 5/ d 37 ma INVEN'IOR. ZAWEEA/CE J. Kay

wt @WHTORNEYS Aug. 26, 1969 L. J. FAY 3,462,980

LATCHING DEVICE FOR CABINETS Filed Feb. 12, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

[A wee/v65 J. 54

W TTORNEYS Aug. 26, 1969 FAY LATCHING DEVICE FOR CABINETS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 12, 1968 INVIJNTOR. 4 Wan/c5 J. FAY

Q i ,vr'rmmum' States 3,4623 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 U.S. (ll. 7081 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cabinet door latch mechanism having a pivotable handle which carries a pin having at least a portion thereof interior of the cabinet door, which pin is moved through an arc by pivotably swinging the handle and which engages a lift bar to move the lift bar in a plane parallel to the plane of the cabinet door. The lift bar is fixedly attached to a latch bar and the pin is spaced from the pivotable connection so that pivoting the handle moves the pin to move the lift bar for the purpose of lifting the latch bar off of latches carried by the cabinet body to permit the door to open. A lock mechanism is provided to prevent the lift bar from being moved when it is desired to lock the cabinet.

This application is a continuation-in-part of US. patent application No. 674,204, filed Oct. 10, 1967.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention SUMMARY The present invention provides for a cabinet door latch mechanism which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art, and which is illustrated in two embodiments. Both embodiments utilize a pivotable handle which is attached to the cabinet door in such a manner that it can be swung arcuately away from the cabinet door. The handle carries a pin which has at least a portion thereof projecting interiorly of the cabinet door. The pin is attached to the handle in space relationship from the pivot point so that the pin is moved through an are when the handle is pivotably swung. The pin freely engages a lift bar attached to a latch bar which is carried interiorly of the cabinet. The latch bar is adapted to engage and disengage latch hooks carried by the cabinet, thereby securing the cabinet in its closed position. When the handle is pivotably swung in relation to the cabinet door, the arcuate motion of the pin moves the lift bar in a plane parallel to the plane of the cabinet door for the purpose of lifting the latch bar off of the latches to permit the door to open. In both embodiments a lock mechanism is provided which selectively prevents the lift bar from being moved, thereby allowing the cabinet to be locked in its closed position.

The present invention provides for a cabinet door latch mechanism which, in a first embodiment, utilizes an angled handle which has a first portion extending in a plane parallel to the side of the cabinet door and a second portion extending in a plane parallel to the front of the door. The first portion is pivotably connected to the side of the door near the top so that the handle may be pivotably swung upwards out from the door. A pin carried by the first portion extends through an arcuate slot in the side of the cabinet into the interior of the cabinet where it engages a lift bar. The pin is spaced from the pivotable connection so that lifting the handle causes the pin to swing through an arc.

The pin is freely engaged by the lift bar and the motion of the pin swinging through its are when the handle is lifted causes the lift bar to move in an upward direction relative to the cabinet door. The lift bar is fixedly connected to a latch keeper or latch bar which extends from the upper portion to the lower portion of the cabinet door and which has slots therein for receiving latch hook carried by the cabinet. Lifting the latch bar allows the slots to be withdrawn from the latch hooks'thereby allowing the door to be opened or closed. However, with the handle in its closed position and the latch bar in its down position the latch hooks project through the slots and engage the latch bar in such a manner that the door may not be opened.

The lift bar has an integral projecting abutment shoulder which cooperates with a key lock having a swingable arm connected thereto to provide a lockable method of preventing the lift bar from being operated.

In a second embodiment the handle has a portion extending through the front of the cabinet door in a plane parallel to the side of the door. The handle portion is pivotably connected to an angled anchor piece which has a portion attached to the inside of the front of the door and a portion extending in a plane parallel to the side of the door. A pin is carried by the handle portion interiorly of the door and spaced from the pivot point of the handle so that lifting the handle causes the pin to swing through an arc. As in the first embodiment, the pin is freely engaged by a lift bar which, in turn, is fixedly attached to a latch bar.

It is then an object of this invention to provide a simplified cabinet door latch mechanism which can be produced with a minimum of parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a latch mechanism which has a handle pivotably connected to a latchable door which handle carries a projection in spaced relationship from the pivot point to engage a lift bar which is attached to a latch bar to lift the latch bar ofi latch hooks when the handle is pivoted.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cabinet door latch mechanism having an angled door handle with a first portion extending in a plane parallel to the side of the cabinet door and a second portion extending in a plane parallel to the front of the cabinet door.

It is another and further object of this invention to provide a cabinet door latch mechanism containing an angled handle having a first portion extending parallel to the side of the cabinet door and a second portion extending parallel to the front of the cabinet door, the first portion being pivotably connected to the side of the cabinet door and having a pin in spaced relation from the pivotable connection extending through the side of the cabinet door and engaging a lift bar which is fixedly attached to a latch bar for the purpose of lifting the latch bar off of latch hooks carried by the cabinet when the handle is swung upwardly on its pivotable connection.

It is another and further object of this invention to provide a cabinet door latch mechanism containing a handle having a portion extending parallel to the side of the cabinet door and projecting through the front of the cabinet door which is pivotably attached to the cabinet door interiorly of the cabinet door and which carries a pin interiorly of the cabinet door in spaced relation from 3 the pivotable connection which engages a lift bar which is fixedly attached to a latch bar for the purpose of lifting the latch bar off of latch hooks carried by the cabinet when the handle is swung upwardly on its pivotable connection.

It is yet another and more specific object of this invention to provide a lockable cabinet door latch mechanism of simplified construction having an angled handle, a portion of which extends in a plane parallel to the side of the cabinet door and which is pivotably connected to the side of the cabinet door and which carries a pin extending through an arcuate slot in the side of the cabinet door engaging a lift bar fixedly connected to a latch bar which selectively engages latch hooks carried by the cabinet to hold the cabinet door in a closed position, the lift bar having an abutment shoulder extending therefrom cooperating with a key lock and swingable lock arm to lock the cabinet door in a closed position by preventing movement of the latch bar when the lock is in a locked position but allowing movement of the latch bar to disengage the latch hooks by pivoting the handle when the lock is in an unlocked position.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrate one example of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective external view of a cabinet and cabinet door embodying the principles of this invention with a portion broken away to show underlying portions thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the cabinet of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines IIII of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the latch mechanism of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cabinet door illustrating the latch mechanism of this invention and by broken lines illustrating the pivotability of the handle.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the latch hooks used in connection with this invention.

FIGURE 5 is an interior broken plan view of a cabinet door equipped with the latch mechanism of this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 illustrating another embodiment of the latch mechanism of this invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmental front plan view of a cabinet door equipped with the embodiment of FIGURE 6 rotated 180 degrees with underlying portions shown by broken lines.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the embodiment of FIGURES 6 and 7 and by broken lines illustrating the pivotability of the handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS This invention is directed to a latching system for use in connection with cabinet doors and especially in connection with cabinets of the type containing electrical apparatus. FIGURE 1 illustrates such an electrical storage cabinet 10 which has a five-sided rectangular cabinet body 11 the sixth side of which is closed by a cabinet door 12. Of course, it is to be understood that the cabinet body 11 can project around the sides of the door 12. In this manner a cabinet door can be provided which when closed is fiush with the front of the cabinet.

The first embodiment of the latch mechanism of this invention as illustrated in FIGURE 1 utilizes a rightangled handle 14. As shown in FIGURE 2 the handle 14 has a portion 14a and a portion 14b. The portion 14b projects in a right-angled relationship from one end of the portion 14a. The cabinet door 12 has a hinged side 15 by which the door 12 is attached to the cabinet 11 by means such as hinges 19 and an unhinged side 16. A

4 space 17 exists around the sides 15, 16 of the cabinet door.

The portion 14a of the handle 14 extends into the space 17 alongside the side 16 of the door 12. The portion 14b of the handle 14 extends parallel to the front 18 of the cabinet door from the side 16 thereof. The portion 14b is in spaced relation to the front 18 of the cabinet door 12.

The handle 14 is attached to the cabinet door 12 through the side 16 by means of a nut and bolt. The bolt 2t} is seated in a counterbore 21 in the handle and fits flush therewith. The bolt 26 extends through an aperture 22 in the side 16 of the cabinet door and is freely received through a sleeve 23 and then is threaded into a bolt 24. The sleeve 23 is freely received in an aperture 25 extending through a block 26.

The side 16 of the cabinet door is formed by bending the sheet metal of the cabinet door into substantially a U-shape around the peripheries of the cabinet door. This method of forming provides an interior shoulder portion 16a which extends from a distance from the side 16 of the cabinet door in a plane parallel to the front 18 of the cabinet door. The block 26 has a planar face 26a which mates with the inside surface of the portion 16a to prevent the block 26 from twisting. A washer 28 fits freely around the pin 23 between the nut 24 and the block 26. The nut 24 does not contact the portion 16a of the side 16 of the cabinet door. In this manner the handle 14 is pivotably attached to the side 16 of the cabinet door by the bolt 20 which is free to turn in the sleeve 23 and block 26 arrangement. In order to prevent the portion 14a of the handle 14 from rubbing against the side 16 of the cabinet door when pivoted a washer 30 may be placed between the portion 14a of the handle and the side 16.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, in order to allow the handle 14 to swing through a larger are when pivoting on the bolt 20 without the top of the portion 1411 coming into contact with the front 18 of the cabinet door 12, the bolt 20 extends through a portion 140 of the portion 14a which extends above the top 31 of the portion 14b and the top 32 of the remainder of the portion 14a. In this manner because the pivot point is higher than the top 31 of the portion 14b the handle 14 may be pivoted through a greater arc without the top 31 contacting the front 18 of the cabinet door 12. An abutting pin 35 is provided through the portion 14a adjacent the plane of the front 18 of the cabinet door 12 when the handle 14 is in its closed or non-pivoted down position. The pin 35 may have a rubber coating 36. When the handle is in its closed position the rubber coating 36 contacts the front 18 of the cabinet door 12 and provides a stop to prevent the handle 14 from being swung further closed. The pin 35 prevents the handle from being closed flush with the front 18 of the cabinet door 12 and thereby provides a space 37 between the portion 14b of the handle 14 and the front 18 of the cabinet door 12. The space 37 provides for gripping of the handle to pivot it for opening or closing the cabinet door.

As shown in FIGURE 4 in order to secure the cabinet door 12 in its closed position latch hooks 40 are secured to the cabinet body 11 by means such as nuts and bolts 41. The latch hooks have projecting finger portions 42 which cooperate with slots 43 in a latch bar 44 carried by the cabinet door 12. When the cabinet door is in its closed position the latch hook 40 extends thrOUgh the slot 43 in the latch bar 44 and the projecting finger 42 extends beyond the slot 43 on the side of the latch bar 44 away from the cabinet body 11. Attempting to open the cabinet door 12 will cause the projecting finger 42 of the latch hook 40 to contact the surface of the latch bar 44 thereby restricting further movement of the cabinet door 12.

In order to release the latch hook mechanism to allow "opening of the cabinet door the latch bar 44 must be moved so that the slot 43 is positioned with respect to the projecting finger 42 of the latch hook so that open 'ing of the cabinet door will cause the projecting finger to move through the slot 43 of the latch bar 44. In the "preferred embodiment illustrated, the finger 42 of the latch hook 40 projects in an upward direction and there- 'fore in order to unlatch the cabinet door it is necessary to move the latch bar 44 upward to allow' the projecting fingers 42 of the latch hooks 40 to move through the slots 43 in the latch bar 44. In order to properly align the latch bar 44 with respect to the hooks 40, the bar 44 projects through aligning slots in brackets 45 attached to the inside face of the cabinet door.

In order to move the latch bar upward, a pin 46 carried by the portion 140 of the handle 14 in spaced relationship from the pivot bolt 20 projects through an 'arcuate opening 48 in the side 16 of the cabinet door '12. The end of the pin 46 on the inside of the cabinet door is received in a notch 50 in a lift bar 51. The lift bar 51 is basically =L-shaped having a short leg portion 51a disposed parallel to the inside face of the side 16 of the cabinet door 12 and a longer leg portion 51b extending at right angles from the portion 51a and extending parallel to the front 18 of the cabinet door 12 intermediate the front 18 and the portion 1 6:: of the side 16.

The lift bar 51 extends above and below the block '26 and the nut 24 and a portion 60 of the bight of the lift bar 51 is cut out to provide a channel to receive the block 26 and nut 24. A lip 61 is formed extending from the portion 51a of the lift bar 51 adjacent the channel space 60. The lip 61 projects at a right angle from the portion 51a and provides a planar face adjacent a corresponding planar face 26b of the block 26 to restrict twisting of the block 26 in the same manner as the planar face 26a mates with the portion 16a of the side 16 of the cabinet door 12. In this manner the block 26 is restricted from twisting when the handle is pivoted thereby causing the bolt 20 and the nut 24 to rotate. The portion 51b of the lift bar 51 is attached to the latch bar 44 by means such as bolts 63 and nuts 64. Therefore it can be seen that when the handle 14 is lifted upward away from the front 1-8 of the cabinet door 12 it pivots on the bolt 21]) causing the pin 46 to move in the arcuate slot 48 through the side 16 of the cabinet door 12. The movement of the pin 46 which is received in the notch 50 in the lift bar 51 causes the lift bar 51 to be moved upwardly. The upward movement of the lift bar 51 carries the latch bar 44 in an upward direction to a point where the projecting fingers 42 of the latch hooks 40 can slide through the slots 43 in the latch bar 44 thereby releasing the cabinet door so that it may swing open from the cabinet body 11. Correspondingly closing the handle 14 by pivoting it downward from its open position will move the lift bar 51 downward thereby moving the latch bar 44 downward. If this downward movement is made after the cabinet door 12 has been closed and the fingers 42 of the latch hooks 40 received through the slots 43 in the latch bar 44 the latch bar will move downwardly to an extent sufiicient to latch the door in its closed position.

A lock mechanism is provided to prevent the door from being opened when in its latched position. The lock mechanism includes a tumbler key lock 70 which has a key receiving portion 71 positioned on the outside of the cabinet door 12 adjacent the handle 14 and a barrel portion 72 containing the lock mechanism which projects through the aperture 73 in the cabinet door 12. Turning a key in the lock '70 turns a projection 74 which extends beyond the barrel portion 72. An abutment arm 75, best shown in FIGURE 5, is attached to the projecting portion 74 by means of a bolt 76. Turning the key in the lock will result in swinging the abutment arm '75.

Cooperating with the abutment arm 75 to secure the cabinet in a locked position is an abutment shoulder 78 which projects from the lift bar 51. The abutment shoulder 78 projects from the portion 51b of the lift bar 51 away from the front 18 of the cabinet door 12 and below the end of the lock barrel 72.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 5 the abutment shoulder 78 extends from the lift bar 51 beyond the latch bar 44 to a point below the lock 70. The abutment shoulder is normally spaced a distance below the lock 70 approximately equal to the length of the abutment arm 75. In the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 with the abutment arm 75 in its locked position the end 80 thereof is in close spaced relation to the abutment shoulder 78. Therefore attempting to lift the handle 14 to open the cabinet door 12 would result in the abutment shoulder 78 contacting the abutment arm '75 thereby preventing further upward movement of the lift bar 51. Turning the key in the lock 70 will cause the abutment arm 75 to move relative to the abutment shoulder 78 so that the lift bar is then free to move upwardly a sufficient distance for the latch hooks to clear through the slots in latch bar 44.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 6 the handle 81 like the handle 14 of the first embodiment has two portions. A first portion 82 is spaced in front of the cabinet door 12 and lies in a plane parallel to the front of the cabinet door. A second portion 83 lies in a plane parallel to the side 16 of the cabinet door and projects from the portion 82 through an aperture 84 in the front 18 of the cabinet door into the interior thereof.

A right-angled anchor bar 85 is attached by one of its legs to the inside '86 of the front 18 of the cabinet door. As illustrated in FIGURE 6 this may be done by the same nut 87 which is used to retain the lock 88 in place on the front of the cabinet door. The lock 88 is substantially the same as the lock 76 of the previous embodiment. The unattached leg 89 of the anchor bar 85 then projects from the inside 86 of the front of the cabinet door inwardly in a plane parallel to the side 16. The portion 89 of the leg 85 is spaced so as to be adjacent the aperture 34 in the cabinet door 12 through which the second portion 83 of the handle 81 projects. As shown in FIGURE 8 the portion 89 of the anchor bar 85 extends above the top 90 of the handle 81. At the upper portion of the innermost end of the portion 89 a pin 92 projects through the portion 89 and the second portion 83 of the handle 81 pivotably connecting the handle 81 to the anchor bar 85. In this manner the handle 81 may be swung upwardly and outwardly away from the front 18 of the cabinet door 12.

In order to keep the aperture 84 as small as possible the portion 83 of the handle 81 is arcuately cut back interiorly of the cabinet door. The arcuately cut back portion 94 is best shown by the dotted lines in FIGURE 8. In this manner, when the handle is swung upwardly, the top 95 of the opening 84 in the cabinet door extends into the cut back portion 94.

As in the first embodiment, the portion 83 of the handle carries a pin 96 which projects therefrom and which is spaced from the pivotable connection 92. The pin 96 is freely received in a slot 97 in the lift bar 98. The lift bar is an angled bracket having a portion 99 extending in a plane parallel to the side 16 of the door adjacent the portion 83 of the handle 81 and interiorly of the cabinet door 12. A second portion the extending at right angles to the portion 99 is fixedly attached to the latch bar 101. As in the previous embodiment the latch bar 1111 is adapted to engage and disengage latch hooks 142 which are carried by the cabinet body.

Therefore it can be seen that pivotably swinging the handle 81 outwardly and upwardly from the front 18 of the cabinet door causes the pin 96 carried by the portion 83 of the handle 81 to move upwardly in an are thereby carrying the lift bar 98 upwardly with it. Upward movement of the lift bar 93 moves the latch bar 1111 upwardly to engage or disengage the latch hooks 102.

As best shown in FIGURE 8, in order to prevent undesired opening of the cabinet door, a lock mechanism is provided. The tumbler lock which extends through the cabinet door 12 is like the tumbler lock 70 of the previous embodiment and has a barrel portion 103 on the interior of the cabinet door which terminates in a moveable projection 134 which carries a swingable arm 105. Turning the key in the lock 88 will result in circular movement of the swingable arm 105. The arm 105 has a notch 2.65 therein. The portion 83 of the handle 81 which is interior of the cabinet door has a notch 167 in the bottom thereof. The notch 107 is aligned with the swingable arm 105 When the handle is in its closed position. The bottom 18% of the anchor bar portion 39 has an interior edge 16-9 adjacent the notch 187. When the lock 88 is turned the arm 165 projects past the edge 139 of the anchor bar and the notch 106 of the arm H mates with the notch 107 on the portion 83 of the handle. Thereafter attempting to swing the handle upwardly and outwardly will cause the swingable arm 165 to bind movement of the handle because of the relationship between the notches 106, 107 and the edge 1.09 of the anchor bar. Turning the lock the other way will move the arm out of the notch 107 freeing the handle.

It can then be seen that my invention provides for a novel latching mechanism for cabinet doors which utilizes a pivotable handle which carries a projecting pin in spaced relation from the pivot point which is moved through an are when the handle is pivoted. A latch bar carried by the cabinet door is associated with latch hooks carried by the cabinet body and provides for latching the door in its closed position. The pin carried by the handle is freely received in a notch in a lift bar which is fixedly attached to the latch bar so that when the handle is pivoted the arcuate motion of the pin activates the lift bar thereby releasing the latch hooks from the latch bar.

The drawings and specification present a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific forms disclosed, but covers all modifications, changes and alternative constructions and methods falling within the scope of the principles taught by the invention.

I claim:

1. A latch mechanism for use in connection with a cabinet having a hinged cabinet door comprising: a handie means having a first portion disposed parallel to the side of the cabinet door opposite the hinged side and a second portion disposed parallel to the front of the cabinet door integral with said first portion, connecting means pivotably connecting said handle means to said cabinet door and adapted to allow said first portion of said handle means to pivotably move relative to said cabinet door in plane parallel of the said side of said cabinet door, latch hook receiving means associated with said cabinet door carried interiorly of said cabinet door and adapted to engage latch hooks carried by the cabinet body, lifting means operatively connecting the receiving means with the said first portion of the said handle means whereby pivotably moving the said first portion of said handle means moves said receiving means relative to the latch hooks to disengage the receiving means and latch hooks said lifting means including a pin carried by said first portion of said handle means, said pin extending through an aperture in said side of said cabinet door, a lift bar connected to said latch hook receiving means, a notch in said lift bar, said pin received in said notch, and said pin connected to said first portion in spaced relation ship from said connecting means whereby when said first portion of said handle means is pivoted said pin is moved to move said lift bar.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 including a selectively actuatable lock means extending through the front of the said cabinet door and adapted to coact with the said lifting means to selectively prevent the said lifting means from moving said receiving means.

3. A latchable storage cabinet comprising:

a rectangular cabinet body having five closed sides and one open side,

a cabinet door hinged to one of said closed sides and adapted to close the said open side,

an angled handle means having a first portion disposed alongside a side of the cabinet door opposite the hinged side and a second portion integral with the first portion positioned in front of the cabinet door,

said first portion pivotably connected to the said side of the said cabinet door opposite the hinged side,

means attached to said first portion projecting through an arcuate aperture in the said side of the cabinet door opposite the hinged side to the interior of the said cabinet door,

latch means carried by the said cabinet body,

latch receiving means carried by the said cabinet door,

and

latch means and said latch receiving means adapted to engage each other to prevent the said cabinet door from being swung open on its hinges, and

lifting means attached to said latch receiving means and associated with said means projecting from said first portion of said handle means and adapted to disengage the said latch receiving means from the said latch means when the said handle means is pivoted on its pivotable connection.

4. A latch mechanism for cabinet doors and the like which comprises:

an angled handle including a first portion disposed in spaced relation to a side of the cabinet door and a second portion disposed in spaced relation to the front of the cabinet door,

said first portion pivotably connected to the said side of the cabinet door whereby the said handle may be pivotably swung away from the front of the said cabinet door,

a pin carried by said first portion in spaced relation from said pivotable connection,

an arcuate aperture through the said side of the said cabinet door adapted to receive the said pin therethrough,

a latch bar movably carried by said cabinet door on the back of said cabinet door adjacent the said side and adapted to engage and disengage latch hooks,

a lift bar attached to said latch bar adjacent said aperture,

and said lift bar adapted to engage said pin whereby when said handle is pivotably swung away from said cabinet door front, the said pin moves in said aperture and the said lift bar is moved by the said pin moving the said latch bar to engage and disengage latch hooks.

5. In a cabinet structure including a cabinet having latch hooks with a door hinged thereon and a latch mechanism for latching the cabinet door to the cabinet which comprises:

a handle having a portion disposed in side-by-side relation to an edge of the cabinet door,

said portion pivotably connected to the said edge of the cabinet door whereby the said handle may be pivotably swing away from the front of the said cabinet door,

a pin carried by said portion in spaced relation from said pivotable connection,

an aperture through the said edge of the said cabinet door adapted to receive the said pin therethrough,

a latch bar movably carried by said cabinet door on the back of said cabinet door adjacent the said edge and adapted to engage and disengage the latch books,

a lift means angled from said latch bar adjacent said aperture and operatively associated therewith and said lift bar being connected to said pin whereby when said handle is pivotably swung away from said cabinet door front, the said pin moves in said aperture and the said lift means is moved by the said pin while simultaneously moving the said latch bar to engage and disengage the latch hooks.

6. A latch mechanism for a cabinet having a hinged cabinet door comprising:

a flat latch bar carried by said cabinet door interiorly of said cabinet door and adapted to engage and disengage latch hooks carried by the cabinet door by vertical movement in a plane parallel to the front of the cabinet door,

said latch bar disposed with its broadest faces substantially parallel to the front of said cabinet door,

a lifting means associated with the latch bar including a first portion parallel to and connected to one of said broad faces of said latch bar and a second portion extending from said first portion at a right angle thereto parallel to the side of the cabinet door,

a handle means having a portion disposed parallel to the side of the cabinet door pivotably connected to the cabinet door to allow the said portion of the said handle to move relative to the cabinet door in a plane parallel to the side of the cabinet door,

and connecting means attached to said handle means in spaced relation from the pivotable connection engaging the said second portion of the said lifting means whereby when said handle means is swung on its pivotable connection to move relative to the said cabinet door the connecting means moves through an are thereby moving said lifting tneans in a vertical direction to move said latch bar to engage or disengage said latch hooks.

7. The mechanism of claim 6 wherein the lifting means is a right-angled bracket and the connecting means has a portion extending through a notch in the second portion of the lifting means to engage and move the lifting means.

8. The mechanism of claim 6 wherein the said portion of the said handle is disposed exteriorly of the said cabinet door adjacent the said side of the said cabinet door and is connected to the said side of the said cabinet door and the said connecting means projects through an aperture in the said side of the said cabinet door to engage the said lifting means.

9. The mechanism of claim 6 wherein the said portion of the said handle projects through an aperture in the front of the said cabinet door and is pivotably connected to an anchoring means which is connected to the cabinet door.

10. A latch mechanism for use in connection with a cabinet having a hinged cabinet door comprising:

a handle means having a portion projecting interiorly of said cabinet door in a plane parallel to a side of the cabinet door through an aperture in the front of the cabinet door.

connecting means interior of the cabinet door pivotably connecting said portion to said cabinet door adapted to allow the said portion to move relative to said door in a plane parallel to the side of said door,

latch hook receiving means carried by said door interiorly of said door adapted to engage latch hooks carried by said cabinet,

projecting means carried by said portion projecting in a plane parallel to the front of said cabinet door adapted to move relative to said latch hooks when said portion is pivotally moved and means connecting said projecting means and said receiving means to transmit the motion of the projecting means to the receiving means to disengage the receiving means and latch hooks.

11; The mechanism of claim 10 including a selectively actuatable lock means extending through the front of the said cabinet door and adapted to coact with the said connecting means and the said handle portion to selectively prevent the said handle portion from moving so as to disengage the receiving means from the latch hooks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 7/1959 Germany. 4/1960 Germany.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner EDWARD J. McCARTHY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

